Unraveling My French Roots through an iGENEA DNA Test: A Discovery of Self and Lineage
Family name Bertin
Discovering ancient family roots can be an overwhelming and mind-opening experience. With the assistance of iGENEA, a simple DNA test unraveled a buried past that changed my understanding of my ancestors named Bertin, and in turn, myself.
My journey to trace my lineage began with a simple curiosity. I decided to invest my time and money into a DNA test from iGENEA. A saliva sample provided them with enough data to trace my roots back to my ancestors named Bertin. To my astonishment, the results unveiled a completely unanticipated aspect of my lineage. Despite a long-held belief that our lineage was of Italian descent, my DNA was telling a different story. I had always known my surname to be of Italian origin, Bertin in particular being a common surname in the northern parts of Italy, and my family had always celebrated this heritage with an almost religious fervor.
My DNA, however, told a different story entirely. It turns out that the Bertin ancestors hailed from northern France, not Italy.
This revelation sent shock waves through my understanding of who I am. I have always identified as part of my Italian heritage, proudly displaying it in my day-to-day life. However, finding out I am largely of French descent changed that. It does not mean I suddenly started behaving and feeling differently, but it sure did instigate a certain level of introspection. Not only did this shatter my preconceived notions about my familial roots, but it also opened my eyes to a more profound understanding of my individual identity.
While this surprising revelation did sway my understanding of self, it also brought with it a sense of excitement. I felt a thrill of discovery, a newfound passion for exploring further into this unknown French heritage. It propelled me to educate myself about different cultures, specifically French in nature. I began to appreciate aspects of this culture unknown to me before, all thanks to my DNA test at iGenEA.
Through this enlightening journey, I have come to realize that our understanding of self is not limited by imagined boundaries of bloodline or culture, but can indeed overflow and intertwine into rich landscapes of forgotten histories and untapped legacies. What it has taught me is that we are not just a product of our immediate environment but a result of thousands of years of migration, evolution, and human connection.
M. Bertin